Lipid Metabolism Antibodies

Lipid metabolism involves the synthesis of lipids, or lipogenesis, and lipid breakdown or degradation, lipolysis, by fatty acid oxidation to produce energy. Lipids are obtained from dietary sources or synthesized from carbohydrate precursors. Lipid metabolism is also associated with glucose metabolism, as some products of glucose, such as acetyl-CoA, can be converted into lipids. During lipid catabolism, triglycerides are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol. The fatty acids are further broken down by fatty acid oxidation, or beta-oxidation into Acetyl-CoA, which can enter the citric acid cycle for energy; while glycerol enters glycolysis as dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP). Triglycerides yield more energy by mass than glucose, and are an important source of energy. Excess acetyl-CoA from the oxidation of fatty acids, can be converted into ketone bodies by the ketogenesis pathway, which can provide energy when glucose levels are low. Ketone bodies can be used as source of energy in the brain which is mostly dependent on glucose. Excess ketone bodies produced can be broken down into CO2 and acetone, and can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition in diabetics.

Lipogenesis is the synthesis of lipids from acetyl-CoA. When glucose levels are high, the excess acetyl-CoA generated by glycolysis can be converted into fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol, steroids, and bile salts. The synthesis of fatty acids starts with acetyl-CoA and progresses by addition of two carbon atoms from other acetyl-CoA molecules, until the fatty acids appropriate length is reached. Triglycerides and fatty acids can then be stored in adipose tissue till necessary for supplying energy.